Xisha Bridge

From HighestBridges.com

The world's highest "through" arch span, the Xisha Bridge is one of the highest crossings on the G65 between Chongqing City and the Hunan border. The concrete filled steel tubular arch bridge has a main span of 623 feet (190) meters. The thin prestressed concrete deck sections hang from suspenders spaced 17.7 feet (5.4 meters) apart. There is a small reservoir beneath the bridge.

During construction one of the highest footbridges ever built was strung between the two cliffs some 190 meters above the river.

The G65 has several other high bridges in the 200+ meter range including the Wulingshan, Wushan and Ganxigou Bridges.

Xisha Bridge Elevation

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The main ribs of the Xisha Bridge are filled with concrete. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A dam was constructed just a kilometer downstream of the Xisha Bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The Xisha bridge is the highest arch on the G65 rising more then 200 meters above a deep crevasse. Image by Peter Wu.

Image by Peter Wu.

This cinder block wall originally looked like a shark head before the upper section collapsed sometime in the year prior. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The "Xisha Shark" back in 2011. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Georges of France goes for a hike up the arch rib! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Georges.

Image by Georges.

A construction view of the Xisha arch.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A construction catwalk 190 meters high was built across the gorge and removed once the span was completed.

In the above construction view the catwalk had already been removed.

The south end approach spans. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A view looking west towards a new dam that has begun to form a reservoir beneath the bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Georges.

Image by Georges.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The scale of the arch tubes is more evident in this size comparison with British bridge fan Roger Perrin. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Xisha Bridge satellite image showing the early stages of construction with the catwalk visible.